One of Those Nights
by LovinFace
Summary: Just a little angst story. Starsky ties one on at Huggy's. Hutch and Huggy try to help. Takes place shortly after Manchild on the Streets.


One of Those Nights

Finally. A weekend off. Hutch had just turned out the lights and gotten comfortable in bed when the phone rang. He looked at the clock – 11:13 p.m. He reached for the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Hutch. It's the Bear."

Hutch sat up in bed. "What's wrong Huggy? You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. But our curly haired friend has been drowning his sorrows for a couple of hours now. There's no way he can drive home, and I've got to stay here a little while longer. I took his keys. I was wondering if you—"

"I'll be right there."

Hutch tossed off the covers. _What could have happened? He was fine when we got off duty. _Hutch threw on some jeans and a t-shirt and left to get his friend.

XXXX

"Huggy! I wanna another bottle. Hell, make it two!" Starsky yelled across the room. He put his empty whisky bottle between his hands and tried to make it spin.

The bar was nearly deserted, with only Starsky in one corner booth and a couple across the room. Huggy tossed a hand towel on his shoulder and walked over to Starsky.

"I told you, Starsky, the bar's closed." Huggy sat down across from Starsky.

"Nope. Don't believe ya." Starsky looked across the room and pointed to the couple. "They gotta bottle. Maybe they wanna share." He tried to slide out of the booth. His head began to spin. "Ooh. Maybe that's not a good idea."

"C'mon Starsky. Just wait a few minutes and Hutch will be here to take you home."

"I don' want Hutch to take me home! I don' need a babysitter. Why can't a guy just have a few drinks in peace, huh? What's wrong with that?" Starsky slammed the empty whiskey bottle on the table for emphasis.

Huggy sighed. "Starsky, I know something's eating at ya man, but whiskey ain't gonna solve the problem."

Starsky's head wobbled as he tried to look up at Huggy. "Look, Bear Hug – hey, that's funny. Bear Hug." Starsky laughed at his own joke. "If you don't get me another bottle, then I'll just go somewhere else and get one."

"Fine. Give me a minute though, Starsky, okay?" Huggy rose slowly from the table. _Hurry up Hutch. There's no way I'm giving him another bottle. _

Huggy walked slowly to the bar. Just as he reached the bar, Hutch walked in. "Hey Huggy." Hutch scanned the bar and saw Starsky in the corner booth. He made his way over to where Starsky was half sitting, half leaning. Hutch slid into the booth across from him.

"Hey, Buddy. I hear you need a ride home."

"Nope. Don' need nothin' Doin' just fine." Starsky looked over to the bar where Huggy was drying some glasses. "I thought you were gonna get me a bottle! Hurry up!" Starsky yelled toward the bar.

Huggy just looked at Starsky and turned toward the kitchen, not saying a word.

Starsky again tried to slide out of the booth. "Fine! I'll go somewhere else!"

Hutch placed his hand on Starsky's arm. "C'mon Buddy. You've had enough. Let's get you home. We'll talk there, okay?"

"No." Starsky pulled his arm from Hutch's grip placed his hands palm down on the table. He seemed to be staring a hole through them.

"Fine. We'll talk here. But you're not getting anything else to drink. C'mon Starsk. What's wrong? You know you can tell me. Let me help." Hutch reached out to pat Starsky's hand. But Starsky just flinched and pulled his hand away.

"Okay. You wanna know what's wrong with me? That's the million-dollar question. What IS wrong with me?" Starsky continued to stare at his hands, then he slowly lifted his head and looked at Hutch. "What's wrong with me?"

Hutch reached out again and placed his hand on Starsky's. This time Starsky allowed it. "Starsk, why do you think something is wrong with you?"

Starsky looked down at the table. "I ain't got nobody, Hutch. Nobody. Cept you. Pop's dead. Terry's dead. John Blaine is dead. And now Jackson is dead. Ain't got nobody left. Cept you. " A tear escaped from Starsky's eye and slid down his cheek.

"Hey, Buddy. I know you're hurting. But you've got lots of people who care for you. You've got me, Huggy, Dobey and his family, Mitzi and Lisa just to name a few. And what about your mom, huh? You know she loves you."

Starsky looked up slowly. "Yeah. She loves me so much that she sent me away when I was 14. Do you know what that feels like? To be sent away by the one person who is supposed to love you no matter what?" Another tear escaped.

Hutch sighed. "Starsk, she did what she thought was best for you."

Starsky turned his head to the side, fighting tears. "Yeah, only look at Nicky. He's done nothin' but stay in trouble since day one. She ain't sendin' him away. I called her tonight. You know, bein' the good boy that I am. She starts in on me about Nicky bein' in trouble, askin' me what to do. I told her she's gotta quit bailin' him out all the time. He's gotta suffer consequences or he ain't never gonna learn. Know what she told me?"

Starsky turned back to face Hutch, a tear running down his cheek.

Hutch spoke softly. "No. What did she say?"

"Said she loved him. She's gotta help him 'cuz she can't imagine life without him." Starsky choked back a sob. "She had no trouble imaginin' life without me though." Starsky buried his face in the crook of his arm.

Hutch reached out and stroked Starsky's hair. "Hey, Buddy. You want to know what I think?"

Starsky slowly lifted his head.

Hutch continued. "Well, sometimes I play the "what if" game you're so fond of. What if you had never come to Bay City? What would my life be like then? You want to know? It would be empty. Because there is no one else on this earth that would be as a good a friend, partner, – brother – as you are, Starsk. I know it hurts that she sent you away. I know that grieving for Jackson has re-opened a wound that you've tried so long to heal. The love you get from Jackson's mother makes you realize what you didn't get from your own mother. But you know, as bad as that pain is, and I wish to hell I could take it away for you, as bad as that pain is, I'm glad you were sent here Starsk. Because if you weren't sent here, you wouldn't be in my life. And frankly, Buddy, life without you in it just wouldn't be ….life."

Hutch reached out and grasped one of Starsky's hands in his own. "Now, come on Buddy. Let's get you home."

"Okay." Starsky started to slide out of the booth. "Hutch?"

"Yeah, Starsk?"

"Thanks."

Hutch smiled. "No problem. Come on." Hutch slid out of the booth and went to Starsky's side to help him up.

"Hutch?"

"Yeah?"

"What if I throw up in your car?"

"That's why we're taking yours."

Hutch looped his arm with Starsky's to help keep him steady. They slowly made their way to the door. Huggy walked over to the pair.

"Well, I see you're feeling better oh curly-headed one." Huggy smiled. He handed the keys to Starsky's car to Hutch.

"Yep. How bout a bear hug. I mean a hug bear, I mean…" Starsky laughed.

"Very funny, Starsky, very original." Huggy put his hand on Starsky's shoulder. "You take it easy."

Hutch looked at Huggy. "Thanks for everything Huggy, I mean it. You're a good friend."

Starsky started toward the door, Hutch holding him up.

Huggy watched his two friends walk toward the door. Starsky said something to Hutch and then they turned around and headed back to Huggy. Starsky reached out his hand to Huggy, who clasped it with one of his own. Starsky pulled Huggy into a hug.

"Sorry 'bout t'night Hug. You don' deserve to be treated that way." Starsky released his hold on Huggy. He began to sway and Huggy and Hutch reached out to steady him at the same time.

"Hey Starsky, don't worry about it bro. It's just one of those nights. You let Hutch take you home now and take it easy. I'll check on you tomorrow." Huggy released his hold on Starsky's arm.

Starsky and Hutch turned back toward the door, making their way out of the bar.

Huggy turned toward the kitchen. He needed to find his Aunt Syble's hangover cure. He would also make some soup since he knew Starsky wouldn't have anything but cold pizza at his place. He made a mental checklist of things he needed to help his friends. He was going to be up for a while. "Yeah, it's one of those nights."


End file.
